UC-Approved Course List
What follows is the complete course list for School for Independent Learners. To explore how a course may be individualized for your student, or for an explanation of high-school graduation and UC / CSU admissions requirements, please contact Ashley Sarver, our Director of Curriculum, at 650.941.4350 or asarver@sileducation.com.
We teach one-to-one and small-group courses at the college preparatory, advanced / honors, UC-honors, and Advanced Placement levels. Courses labeled ‘AP’ or ‘UC honors’ earn an extra GPA point (A=5.0, B=4.0) as the ‘honors’ status is granted through a rigorous UC approval process. ‘AP’ and ‘UC honors’ courses are equally challenging, and present college-level material. Classes labeled ‘advanced’ do not earn an extra GPA point, as the challenge is slightly less than in ‘UC honors’ and ‘AP’ courses. In ‘advanced’ courses, as in ‘college preparatory’ courses, A=4.0, B=3.0. Students who wish to enroll in advanced, UC honors, or AP courses must either meet the pre- and co-requisites, or seek the permission of the department chair.
Most of our courses are full-year programs of study, and comprise two 5-unit semesters. Students may elect to take only one semester of a full-year course, and may do so in two ways: 1. Students may complete one-half of a year-long course, either the first semester or the second, without studying the material contained in the other semester, or 2. Students may condense the material of two semesters into one, at the expense of either breadth or depth. The second option is available only for non-core classes, such as ‘g’ electives.
Some of our courses are UC approved as one-semester courses, and are not offered as two-semester, full-year courses. One-semester courses are signified by a cross.
Some of our courses are pending UC approval; such courses are signified by an asterix. We anticipate the approval by the spring of 2010.
2011 - 2012 Course List
a. History & Social Science
- World History
- College Prep & AP
- US History
- College Prep & AP
- American Studies: US History
- (Integrated with the ‘b’ category.)
- European History
- College Prep & AP
- Government
- College Prep† & AP†
- Contemporary World Studies
- College Prep & UC Honors*
b. English
- Literature & Composition 1
- (English 9)
- Literature & Composition 2
- (English 10)
- Exploratory Thinking
- (Advanced English 9 & 10)
- Genres in Literature
- (Advanced English 9 & 10)
- Language & Composition 1
- (English 9 & 10)
- Language & Composition 2
- (English 11 & 12)
- American Literature
- College Prep & UC Honors
- American Studies: Literature & Composition;
- (Integrated with the ‘a’ category.)
- The American Dream
- (Alternative to American Literature.)
- British Literature
- World Literature
- AP English Literature & Composition
- AP English Language & Composition
- Poetry Analysis & Composition
- Contemporary Literature
- Shakespeare & His Legacy†
- Modernity & Postmodernity: A Cultural Study
- The Literature of Sport†
- The Literature of the Natural World †
- Mythology: Classic & Contemporary* †
- Philosophy in Literature †
- Dramatic Literature †
- Magic Realist & Fantasy Literature †
- The Absurd & Existential: 20th Century Literature †
- The Emersonian Tradition †
- Film as Literature †
c. Mathematics
- Algebra 1
- Algebra 1 / Geometry
- Geometry
- Algebra 2
- Algebra 2 / Trigonometry
- College Prep & Honors
- Trigonometry / Math Analysis
- Honors
- Pre-Calculus
- College Prep & Honors
- Math Analysis
- College Prep & UC Honors
- Calculus
- College Prep & AP (AB & BC)
- Linear Algebra
- Statistics
- College Prep & AP
- Differential Equations
- Discrete Mathematics
d. Laboratory Science
- Biology
- College Prep, UC Honors* & AP
- Chemistry
- College Prep, UC Honors* & AP
- Physics
- College Prep, UC Honors* & AP
- Environmental Science
- College Prep* & AP
- Anatomy & Physiology
- Marine Biology & Oceanography
e. Language Other Than English
- Spanish 1, 2, 3, 4 & AP (Literature & Language)
- French 1, 2, 3, 4 & AP (Literature & Language)
- Latin 1, 2, 3, 4* & AP (Virgil)
- German 1, 2, 3, 4, & AP*
- Italian 1, 2*, 3* & 4*
- Mandarin 1 & 2
- Japanese 1, 2, 3, 4, & AP
- American Sign Language 1 & 2
f. Visual & Performing Arts
- Contemporary Art Studies
- College Prep* & UC Honors*
- Narrative Art: Context & Sequence*
- Introduction to the Studio Arts*
- AP Studio Art*
- Drawing & Painting*
- Ceramics & Sculpture*
- Mixed Media & Found Art*
- Photography
- College Prep & Advanced*
- Video Production*
- Introduction to the Performing Arts*
- Dramatic Performance
- College Prep* & Advanced* (A performance-based class.)
- Music Theory
- College Prep* & AP
- Music of the 20th Century
- Instruments & their Masters
- (A performance-based class.)
- Dance of the 20th Century*
- Music & Dance of the 20th Century*
g. Electives
- Graphic Design: Print & Online*
- Advanced Web Design*
- Economics
- College Prep† & AP (Micro† & Macro†)
- Comparative Politics
- College Prep† & AP†
- Ancient History* †
- US History through Film*
- African American History
- Art History
- College Prep & AP
- Philosophy & Ethics
- College Prep & Advanced
- World Religions
- Modern Western Religions
- Social Justice†
- Media Studies* †
- Sociology†
- Psychology
- College Prep & AP
- The Psychology of Personality* †
- Cognitive Science*
- Special Investigations in Science*
- Astronomy†
- Computer Science
- College Prep* & AP
- The California Naturalist*
- Urban Ecology & Sustainability* †
- Field Botany* †
- Field Zoology* †
- Animal Behavior* †
- Creative Writing*
- Journalism: Print & Online*
- Health & Fitness*